Chapter Thirty Three
:: Four Months Later ::
"Karen, I'm concerned," Jack said, watching her apply makeup to her face. "About what?" she asked curiously. "You and Elliot. I wish you two would get along," he answered, as she rolled her eyes. "I don't like kids," she said simply. "But Elliot's my son and you in a way are like his mother," Jack replied, as she giggled. "No honey," she said, setting her powder down and applying lipstick. "Well time for me to go to work or as I like to call it, time to make fun of what Grace is wearing," she said, changing the subject, as he looked down at his watch. "Yeah I have to go too. We're meeting up for lunch though, right?" he asked. "Of course Poodle," she answered, kissing his cheek. She wiped the lipstick off his face and kissed his mouth. "See you later," she said, walking out.
When Jack arrived at Cater's office, he felt extremely sad. Truth was, he was going to ask Karen if she wanted to adopt Elliot which meant legally she would be his mother. Unfortunately, he now knew she would never agree to that idea. "What's with the sad face?" Carter asked, walking into the room. "Karen doesn't like Elliot and well, Elliot doesn't like Karen. But for some reason, I had this crazy idea that she would adopt him, but that's never going to happen," he answered. "Well you never know. Maybe they might get along one day," she said, as he sighed. "Boy do I hope so," he replied.
:: Grace's Apartment ::
"I can't see my feet," Grace complained, as Will smiled. "It's alright, they aren't that pretty anyway," he said, as she frowned. "Ouch, that was rude," she said. "Sorry, it's just been a bad morning," he replied, as she pointed to her protruded stomach. "Look at this! For six months I've been having bad mornings, bad days and bad nights, so loosen up your coo lots," she said, sitting down on the couch. "Three more months," he said, taking a giant Hershey bar out of his pocket. He laid it in her hand and kissed her cheek. "Eat up," he said, as she ripped the wrapping. "Believe me, I will," she replied. "Do you need a ride to your office?" he asked, as she shook her head. "Nope. For some reason Karen offered to take me in her limo and I said yes," she answered happily, taking a big chunk out of the chocolate. "Hmmm...well she's still cruela to me," he shrugged, as he walked to the door. "Say hi to Todd for me," she pleaded, as he opened it. "I will. I love you," he said, closing the door.
When Jack arrived home, he was determined to make Karen and Elliot get along. He walked upstairs and smiled when he saw Karen sprawled out on the bed, sipping on her glass of wine. "Hey Poodle," she greeted, looking at him. "I told Carter how much I missed you and she let me come home early," he said, as he laid down next to her. "But you saw me at lunch," she said, as he began rubbing his hand up and down her arm. "I know, but I love you so much that if you're not with me for even a minute, I get lonely," he replied, kissing her cheek. "Oh honey, you always know just what to say," she said, taking his hand in hers. After a moment of silence, he looked at her with a serious look on his face. "Kare, do you love me?" he asked suddenly. She let go of his hand and looked at him confusingly. "Honey, what is with that question?" she asked, as he shrugged. "Just wondering," he answered, as they both heard the front door open. "Elliot's home!" Jack exclaimed, getting off the bed. "Who cares?" Karen asked, a look of annoyance spread across her face. He ignored her comment and walked out of the room. Right as he walked out, Elliot was coming up the stairs. "Hey son," he said, loving the sound of that word. "Hey...School sucked," Elliot replied simply, walking into his own room. Jack followed him in and sighed. "School sucked for me too, but I'll tell you what. If you don't want to go tomorrow, you don't have to," he said, as Elliot's face brightened up. "Really?" he asked happily. "Yeah, but if you do stay home, I want you to spend some time with Karen," Jack answered. "No way, I'd rather go to school than do that!" Elliot exclaimed, shaking his head. "Come on Elliot," Jack said. "Why? She hates me. There is no point," Elliot replied, setting his backpack down. "Well you hate her too," Jack said, as Elliot rolled his eyes. "No I don't," he replied truthfully. "You don't?" Jack asked surprised. "No, but she's always mean to me, so I act the same way back," Elliot answered, as Jack jumped up and down. "Oh my God, this is great! I can tell Karen about your feelings and then you two can talk it out," he said, as Elliot quickly grabbed his arm to calm him down. "No, I don't want her to know I like her. It will make me look like a loser," he replied, with a worried look on his face. "No it wont. Look I know Karen better than anyone else and I know if she knows how you feel, she might stop being mean to you and actually treat you nicely," Jack said, as Elliot blew out a breath. "Fine, but don't make me sound like a sissy," he replied. "There is nothing wrong with sounding like a sissy," Jack said, offended. "Sorry," Elliot replied, swallowing hard. "It's okay," Jack said, patting his son on the back. "I'm going to do my homework," Elliot said, as Jack nodded. "Okay, I'll leave you alone," he replied, as he skipped happily out the door.
He arrived at his room and laid back on the bed next to Karen. "What did you two talk about?" she asked, as he grinned. "You," he answered. "Honey, don't smile. It makes it seem like you were talking good about me," she said, as he took her hand and began kissing her fingers. "It was good and surprise surprise, Elliot likes you," he replied, as she sat up quickly. "What?" she asked, shocked. "Yep, he truly does like you and he said he'd be nice to you if you weren't so mean to him," he answered, as she scoffed. "I am not mean to him," she said, crossing her arms. "Karen..." he said, giving her a look. "Fine, I might be a little mean, but I already told you, I don't like kids," she replied, as he grabbed her hand. He dragged her off the bed and led her out the door. "Honey, where are you taking me?" she asked, as they stopped in front of Elliot's door. "I want you to go in there and talk with him and don't come out 'till you two get along," he answered, as she shook her head. "You already tried this once," she said. "Yeah and it worked for a day, but this time I want it to work forever," he replied, opening the door. As much as she tried to get away, he still was able to push her inside. "What's going on?" Elliot asked, when he saw them. "You two are going to solve all your problems right now," he answered simply, slamming the door shut. Karen looked at the young boy with a disgusted look on her face. "What are you looking at?" she asked, as he rolled his eyes. "Yeah, this is really going to work," he muttered sarcastically.
:: Four Months Later ::
"Karen, I'm concerned," Jack said, watching her apply makeup to her face. "About what?" she asked curiously. "You and Elliot. I wish you two would get along," he answered, as she rolled her eyes. "I don't like kids," she said simply. "But Elliot's my son and you in a way are like his mother," Jack replied, as she giggled. "No honey," she said, setting her powder down and applying lipstick. "Well time for me to go to work or as I like to call it, time to make fun of what Grace is wearing," she said, changing the subject, as he looked down at his watch. "Yeah I have to go too. We're meeting up for lunch though, right?" he asked. "Of course Poodle," she answered, kissing his cheek. She wiped the lipstick off his face and kissed his mouth. "See you later," she said, walking out.
When Jack arrived at Cater's office, he felt extremely sad. Truth was, he was going to ask Karen if she wanted to adopt Elliot which meant legally she would be his mother. Unfortunately, he now knew she would never agree to that idea. "What's with the sad face?" Carter asked, walking into the room. "Karen doesn't like Elliot and well, Elliot doesn't like Karen. But for some reason, I had this crazy idea that she would adopt him, but that's never going to happen," he answered. "Well you never know. Maybe they might get along one day," she said, as he sighed. "Boy do I hope so," he replied.
:: Grace's Apartment ::
"I can't see my feet," Grace complained, as Will smiled. "It's alright, they aren't that pretty anyway," he said, as she frowned. "Ouch, that was rude," she said. "Sorry, it's just been a bad morning," he replied, as she pointed to her protruded stomach. "Look at this! For six months I've been having bad mornings, bad days and bad nights, so loosen up your coo lots," she said, sitting down on the couch. "Three more months," he said, taking a giant Hershey bar out of his pocket. He laid it in her hand and kissed her cheek. "Eat up," he said, as she ripped the wrapping. "Believe me, I will," she replied. "Do you need a ride to your office?" he asked, as she shook her head. "Nope. For some reason Karen offered to take me in her limo and I said yes," she answered happily, taking a big chunk out of the chocolate. "Hmmm...well she's still cruela to me," he shrugged, as he walked to the door. "Say hi to Todd for me," she pleaded, as he opened it. "I will. I love you," he said, closing the door.
When Jack arrived home, he was determined to make Karen and Elliot get along. He walked upstairs and smiled when he saw Karen sprawled out on the bed, sipping on her glass of wine. "Hey Poodle," she greeted, looking at him. "I told Carter how much I missed you and she let me come home early," he said, as he laid down next to her. "But you saw me at lunch," she said, as he began rubbing his hand up and down her arm. "I know, but I love you so much that if you're not with me for even a minute, I get lonely," he replied, kissing her cheek. "Oh honey, you always know just what to say," she said, taking his hand in hers. After a moment of silence, he looked at her with a serious look on his face. "Kare, do you love me?" he asked suddenly. She let go of his hand and looked at him confusingly. "Honey, what is with that question?" she asked, as he shrugged. "Just wondering," he answered, as they both heard the front door open. "Elliot's home!" Jack exclaimed, getting off the bed. "Who cares?" Karen asked, a look of annoyance spread across her face. He ignored her comment and walked out of the room. Right as he walked out, Elliot was coming up the stairs. "Hey son," he said, loving the sound of that word. "Hey...School sucked," Elliot replied simply, walking into his own room. Jack followed him in and sighed. "School sucked for me too, but I'll tell you what. If you don't want to go tomorrow, you don't have to," he said, as Elliot's face brightened up. "Really?" he asked happily. "Yeah, but if you do stay home, I want you to spend some time with Karen," Jack answered. "No way, I'd rather go to school than do that!" Elliot exclaimed, shaking his head. "Come on Elliot," Jack said. "Why? She hates me. There is no point," Elliot replied, setting his backpack down. "Well you hate her too," Jack said, as Elliot rolled his eyes. "No I don't," he replied truthfully. "You don't?" Jack asked surprised. "No, but she's always mean to me, so I act the same way back," Elliot answered, as Jack jumped up and down. "Oh my God, this is great! I can tell Karen about your feelings and then you two can talk it out," he said, as Elliot quickly grabbed his arm to calm him down. "No, I don't want her to know I like her. It will make me look like a loser," he replied, with a worried look on his face. "No it wont. Look I know Karen better than anyone else and I know if she knows how you feel, she might stop being mean to you and actually treat you nicely," Jack said, as Elliot blew out a breath. "Fine, but don't make me sound like a sissy," he replied. "There is nothing wrong with sounding like a sissy," Jack said, offended. "Sorry," Elliot replied, swallowing hard. "It's okay," Jack said, patting his son on the back. "I'm going to do my homework," Elliot said, as Jack nodded. "Okay, I'll leave you alone," he replied, as he skipped happily out the door.
He arrived at his room and laid back on the bed next to Karen. "What did you two talk about?" she asked, as he grinned. "You," he answered. "Honey, don't smile. It makes it seem like you were talking good about me," she said, as he took her hand and began kissing her fingers. "It was good and surprise surprise, Elliot likes you," he replied, as she sat up quickly. "What?" she asked, shocked. "Yep, he truly does like you and he said he'd be nice to you if you weren't so mean to him," he answered, as she scoffed. "I am not mean to him," she said, crossing her arms. "Karen..." he said, giving her a look. "Fine, I might be a little mean, but I already told you, I don't like kids," she replied, as he grabbed her hand. He dragged her off the bed and led her out the door. "Honey, where are you taking me?" she asked, as they stopped in front of Elliot's door. "I want you to go in there and talk with him and don't come out 'till you two get along," he answered, as she shook her head. "You already tried this once," she said. "Yeah and it worked for a day, but this time I want it to work forever," he replied, opening the door. As much as she tried to get away, he still was able to push her inside. "What's going on?" Elliot asked, when he saw them. "You two are going to solve all your problems right now," he answered simply, slamming the door shut. Karen looked at the young boy with a disgusted look on her face. "What are you looking at?" she asked, as he rolled his eyes. "Yeah, this is really going to work," he muttered sarcastically.